Kaizer wrote:a FRIEND of mine was given a .380 by his father, that has no paperwork and no idea where it originated. if my FRIEND were to have this weapon discovered, how much trouble would he be in for not having it registered? Or, if he were to try to get it registered, would he be in trouble just for getting it in such a way?

Where is this “FRIEND” located? If in Pennsylvania, then we don’t have any sort of “registration” for handguns in this state. Also, a PICS check is not needed for handgun transfers between spouses, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, or between active law-enforcement officers. A father can give a handgun to a son without going to the state police or a gun shop to do a formal transfer.

Kaizer wrote:a FRIEND of mine was given a .380 by his father, that has no paperwork and no idea where it originated. if my FRIEND were to have this weapon discovered, how much trouble would he be in for not having it registered? Or, if he were to try to get it registered, would he be in trouble just for getting it in such a way?

Where is this “FRIEND” located? If in Pennsylvania, then we don’t have any sort of “registration” for handguns in this state. Also, a PICS check is not needed for handgun transfers between spouses, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, or between active law-enforcement officers. A father can give a handgun to a son without going to the state police or a gun shop to do a formal transfer.

its me. i'm in washington. since people are terrified of guns here i'll probably have to do paperwork and sell my truck to pay the governor.

Kaizer wrote:its me. i'm in washington. since people are terrified of guns here i'll probably have to do paperwork and sell my truck to pay the governor.

I will assume that means Washington state (Washington D.C. is an entirely different kettle of fish). There are no state licensing requirements for the possession of rifles, shotguns or handguns in Washington state. In addition, there are no background check or other mandatory reporting requirements for the private sale or transfer of any sort of firearm. In that regard, Washington is actually less stringent than Pennsylvania, which requires checks for certain handgun transfers. The Washington Department of Licensing offers a transfer form (http://www.dol.wa.gov/forms/652004.pdf) that you can use to document the transfer of handguns. You may, if you choose, send a copy of this form to the state, but doing so is strictly voluntary (I certainly wouldn’t send it in).

There is no need or requirement to register your new .380, and no paperwork was necessary for your father to transfer it to you. The only way you could be in any legal trouble is if you are otherwise prohibited from possessing firearms in Washington state; for example, you are underage, a convicted criminal, or have been the subject of involuntary commitment for mental-health reasons. Otherwise, enjoy the new gun.

Picking up my first handgun tomorrow. Picked up a taurus millennium 45 for 325$. My buddy has the exact same one and I've shot it a few times. Pretty excited. I assume for ccw permit it's a class and a fee?? Another question is my same friend wanted to get a permit for pa as am Ohio resident. Can he do this?

Chefpatrick871 wrote:Picking up my first handgun tomorrow. Picked up a taurus millennium 45 for 325$. My buddy has the exact same one and I've shot it a few times. Pretty excited. I assume for ccw permit it's a class and a fee?? Another question is my same friend wanted to get a permit for pa as am Ohio resident. Can he do this?

Pennsylvania does not require any training classes. The only requirement for a license is simply passing the comprehensive background check. Ohio does require training classes, I believe.

Pennsylvania does offer licenses to out-of-state individuals. They need to have an equivalent license in their home state. If he has an Ohio license, then he can apply for a Pennsylvania license. Unfortunately, Ohio and Pennsylvania do not have license reciprocity, so that is the only way for an Ohio resident to carry in Pennsylvania. I don’t think Ohio offers licenses to out-of-state persons, so one can't do the opposite.

Bringing this old thread back. I'm about to purchase my first handgun. My brother just got the Ruger LC9 which I like but it is very small. It almost feels like a toy. I'm getting the Ruger SR9c. Very excited to shoot it!!

It wasn't any more flawed than hammer's argument against gun ownership.

Please explain? I'll also point out that your kid has a better chance of drowning in your backyard swimming pool than he does of using your gun, so the the gun-control argument cuts both ways, but statistically, the argument that "I need a gun to protect myself" is just utterly flawed, IMO.

I am not getting into the legal argument, because it's impossible to figure out the meaning of the 2nd Amendment, and when a gun owner tries to proclaim that the Second Amendment definitely protects that right, I just roll my eyes. The Supreme Court of the United States can't figure out what the Second Amendment means, and Joe Hunter tells me it's "his right!" -- that's just a realist argument based on a policy preference and it is completely divorced from whether the right extends to personal handgun ownership. Although, the Supreme Court has spoken so as of about 18 months go, I guess it is "right"; hurray Supreme Court. (Face related to the Supreme Court's recent tendency to rule based on policy and not law; it does not express an opinion of whether it was the right decision).

Regardless, you can buy a gun in the United States, as far as I'm concerned. But that's an argument for legal autonomy--not one based on the increased protection a gun provides. I believe that was the original rationale stated--I want to protect myself. So if the reason that you protect yourself with a gun is to avoid bodily harm, then you shouldn't buy a gun---the chances that you injure yourself are higher when owning a gun. That seems pretty sound, unless you think getting shot by an intruder is somehow worse than getting shot by yourself, which, believe me, I think some people honestly believe.

Gage18 wrote:Bringing this old thread back. I'm about to purchase my first handgun. My brother just got the Ruger LC9 which I like but it is very small. It almost feels like a toy. I'm getting the Ruger SR9c. Very excited to shoot it!!

Let us know what it's like. The SR9 and its compact variants looks like a solid gun.

I feel bad to say it, but the death of William B. Ruger in 2002 was one of the best things to happen to the company. Bill Ruger wasn’t really interested in the home-defense or CCW markets, and it showed in Ruger’s lack of products suitable to those tasks. Since he died, the company has released all sorts of neat new products, including the LCR polymer-frame revolver, the LC9, the SR9, the SR-556 rifle, the Gunsite Scout Rifle, and the Ruger SR1911. Heck, Ruger now makes factory 25-round magazines for the 10/22! Bill Ruger never allowed the company to sell higher-capacity magazines. I love what that company is doing, and if I had the spare money I’d own quite a few more of their guns (starting with a SP101 in .22LR and the new 22/45 Lite).

It comes down to the old "It's better to have it and not need it than it is to need it and not have it" argument. For many - myself included - any increased personal risk, while real, is de minimus.

Personally, I have no idea how the SCOTUS ever came to the conclusion that the 2nd Amendment is about a personal right to gun ownership. It's as if the "well-regulated militia" bit doesn't exist in the copies of the Constitution they issue SCOTS justices. The Framers drew heavily on the English Bill of Rights of 1689 when drafting our own such document. But the right to bear arms in the older text specifically sets it forth as a personal right for self-defense, divorced from militia service. The 2nd Amendment quite clearly establishes a connection between owning weapons and serving in the military. (Back in the day, when you were called up for militia service you were expected to bring your own musket with you; and there was legislation mandating that all males of a certain age possess a suitable weapon.)

Whatever, I'm glad I can go buy a handgun - or a shotgun, or a carbine - if I want.